Maandelijks archief: oktober 2016

Not many HAM radio programs do already support the IC-7300. As far as CAT commands, the IC-7300 seems to be compatible with older radios like the IC-7700. Here’s a description of setting up your IC-7300 radio to work with the last freeware version of Ham Radio Deluxe (5.24).

First of all, download and install this Icom USB driver. The driver installs a “virtual” serial COM port. Check your system for this new com port. On my system, it’s COM4 but it could be any number. Write the number down somewhere, you’ll need it later. The second thing that needs to be checked, is a new (virtual!) “audio device” has been added to the system.

A normal soundcard has loudspeaker output, line input and microphone input. If you check your sound settings, you’ll see that the driver “emulates” a second soundcard with input and output. It’s the one that says “CODEC”. That’s the one you want to use; it “tranports” RX audio via the USB port to your computer (using the virtual line-in) and transports computer generated audio (digitally encoded data) via the USB port to your radio (using the virtual speaker out). It is similar to the normal digital mode interfaces using two (analog) audio cables, only in this case, everything is kept within the digital domain and it only requires one (digital) cable.

The IC-7300 operates on CI-V port (don’t ask!) address 94h by default. As we want the IC-7300 to behave like an IC-7700, we need to change this address to 74h; the default address for the IC-7700. Note that ham radio Deluxe supports changing the CI-V port to any address you want, but while may other ham radio programs do not have this option and use the default address for the selected radio (e.g. 74h for the IC-7700), I decided to change the radio rather than to set change the CI-V port in HRD to 94h for the IC-7700 (it will work though, little easier if you’re only using HRD). So… let’s change the radio’s port.

Press “Menu” button on your radio

Press “Set” on the touchscreen

Press “Connectors” on the touchscreen

Press “CI-V” on the touchscreen

Press “CI-V Address” on the touchscreen

Set address to “74h” using [+] and [-] buttons on touchscreen

Press “Menu” button on your radio to go back to the normal screen. Now start up Ham Radio Deluxe 5.11. The connection window will pop up. Choose “ICOM” for Company and select “IC-7700” for Radio. Select your (virtual) COM Port from the list (I told you to write it down HI). Set speed to 19200. The IC-7300’s default baudrate setting is “Auto” so any speed should be fine. The CI-V Add is defaulted to 74, no need to change it here. RTS is checked by default, leave it on. DTR is unchecked by default, leave that off.

If you forgot to write the port down, click the “Serial Ports” tab, all the ports that are know to your system are listed, you want the one by “Silicon Laboratories” with location “Generic USB Hub”.

If you want to do digital modes or record RX audio, you need to set up the soundcard in HRD. From the “Tools” menu select option “Soundcards” and from the droplist, choose the “virtual” soundcard; for line in choose “Microhpone (2 USB Audio CODEC)”, for Output choose “Loudspeakers (2 USB Audio CODEC).

Now you can do digital modes and record (and transmit!) RX audio. I hope this helps you IC-7300 owners getting started. I’m no computer / software expert by any means so if it doesn’t work, I have no idea how to help you probably.

Setting the radio up this way, also works fine with WSJT-X. Here’s my settings:

Because this Worpress site has been hosted on my own pa3hho.nl domain for some time and moved back to wordpress.com, many pictures and photos were lost. This is now taken care of, all the picture should be visible again, enjoy!